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October 18th, 2016 over 200 family members, allies, and registered voters rallied on the steps of our capital in Harrisburg, PA in support of HB 2135.

HB 2135 was introduced by Rep. Dawkins (photo below) and is now a bill in the PA House that would make people serving Death By Incarceration eligible for parole after 15 years. We believe that humanity and compassion is an innate human quality and that ALL should have the opportunity to redeem themselves of past offenses – we, each and everyone of us, have done something that we regret.

Three bus loads of folks from across the state gathered to ask, through song, personal experience, and one-on-meetings with our legislators to end Death By Incarceration (DBI) in Pennsylvania.

There are over 5000 people serving Life Without Parole sentences in Pennsylvania. In PA, ‘life’ means your entire life, which is why many call it Death By Incarceration (DBI). This harsh sentencing does not improve public safety and disproportionately impacts poor people and people of color. We believe that denying people the right to transformation and redemption is an affront to everyone’s humanity. Join the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration (CADBI) and our allies from across the state by contacting us at:

There are over 5000 people serving Life Without Parole sentences in Pennsylvania. In PA, ‘life’ means your entire life, which is why many instead call it Death By Incarceration. This harsh sentencing does not improve public safety and disproportionately impacts poor people and people of color.

We believe that denying people the right to transformation and redemption is an affront to everyone’s humanity. Join the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration (CADBI) and our allies from across the state as we converge at the state capitol to ask our legislators to end Death By Incarceration in Pennsylvania.

Transportation will be provided from Philadelphia, and possibly other areas as well.

More details will be announced soon, so check out http://decarceratepa.info/dayofaction, call 267-606-0324 or email CADBIphilly@gmail.com to find out how to sign up and get involved!

August 9th, 2016 CADBI Members told Seth Williams, he is not living up to his word.

August 19th, 2016 Federal Court Agrees!

Child lifers in Philadelphia are being manipulated into taking a plea-bargain that, in reality, still equals a LIFE sentence; and is not in the spirit of the Supreme Court’s Miller v. Alabama ruling that expressed the unconstitutionality of mandatory life sentencing for child offenders and the cruelty of not considering the many mitigated factors that causes a child to commit or participate in horrible crimes.

During the ‘Seth Williams Have a Heart’ rally (Sponsored by the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration), on August 9th, members of CADBI brought public awareness to the fact that District Attorney Seth Williams was not, actually, living up to his word that he would no longer seek Life Without Parole for Child lifers.

CADBI members were resilient in their protest of Seth Williams and Patricia Vickers (CADBI and Human Rights Coalition member) said that it is a manipulating move to offer a sentence of 35-to-Life as a plea-bargain; because 35-to-Life is still a LIFE sentence; also going in front of the Parole Board, well, it isn’t legal because by law, in Pennsylvania, a person who has a LIFE sentence cannot be paroled; in addition the mitigating circumstances haven’t been considered. The system labeled these children as “the worse of the worse” and “beyond redemption” and to date it continues to force that label on them even against the U.S. Supreme Court’s instruction.

So guess what? The FEDERAL COURT is in direct agreement with CADBI’s view. Ten days later, August 19th, a judge of the Federal Court ruled (in the case of Kempis “Ghani” Songster) that the way Seth Williams is handling the Juvenile Life With Out Parole (JLWOP) re-sentencing hearings is unconstitutional and does not follow the US Supreme Court’s ruling.

“A sentencing practice that results in every juvenile’s sentence with a maximum term of life, regardless of the minimum term, does not reflect individualized sentencing,” Timothy J. Savage, District Court judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, wrote in both opinions. He added: “Passing off the ultimate decision to the Parole Board in every case represents an abdication of judicial responsibility and ignores the [Supreme Court’s] mandate.”

Stand strong folks, cause we are another step closer in building a humane and redemptive society.

Success! Mother’s Day Rally Got The Message Out – Compassion for youth sentenced to Death By Incarceration

Sponsored by: Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration (CADBI)

Photos (below) By: Sandra Hill

This Friday in the down pour of rain that didn’t let up the entire day, in honor of Mother’s Day, the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration (CADBI) held a powerful rally and press conference calling on the state of Pennsylvania to make compassion, redemption, and healing in our communities possible by recognizing the US Supreme Court mandate to provide fair and meaningful re-sentencing to the more than 500 children sentenced to die in prison here in PA.

The rally shed light on this inhumane policy, and demanded immediate steps be taken to reunify our families and heal our communities. As CADBI member Patricia Vickers, whose son is serving a life sentence he received when he was 17, observed: “Pennsylvania sentences more young people to die in prison than any other state in the country,” said “We are holding this action the Friday before Mother’s Day to highlight how these sentences tear families apart. No mother should have to endure their child living an entire life behind bars.”

Now, on Mother’s Day, we hope that you will take a moment to watch this short video of the event and to share it with others. In the words of Kempis “Ghani” Songster, who was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he committed when he was 15: “Only when all of us, our whole community ­­ families and friends of victims, families and friends of the condemned, and those who are themselves condemned ­­ take responsibility for solving our community’s problems will the healing begin.”

Huge thanks to everyone who helped make this rally happen. And to all the incarcerated mothers who have raised children from behind bars, to all the mothers who have stood by their children serving death by incarceration sentences, to all mothers and all people on both sides of the prison walls who have never given up the fight for freedom, justice and compassion, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!